Knitted fabric and method of making the same



June 12, 1928. 1,672,873

F. BACON ET AL KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 27, 1926 W Z JNVENTORS D a;

ATTORNEYW Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic FREDERICK BACON AND HARRY D. TROOP, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS 'IO HOLYOKE SILK HOSIERY COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A COB- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed October 27, 1926".

portions by using heavier thread, multiplethreads, .or both. This causes a bunching or thickening of the fabric along the joint or suture which detracts from the smooth appearance of the stocking by unduly emphasizing the reinforced splice and places the first or adjoining line of loops of the thinner thread under tension along lateral portions of the splice. According to our invention it is possible to produce a more gradual transition from a relatively thick portion to a thinner portion of knitted fabric, or from a portion having one characteristic as to thread to a portion having a different characteristic and, in so doing, to provide a more sightly and effective joining so that, in the case of stockings, the occurrence of runs beginning at the heel splice corner is measurably reduced and the stocking presents a relatively smooth appearance.

An embodiment of our invention is disclosed in the drawings accompanying the present specification, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the heel and instep portion of a stockin embodying our invention with arrows indicating the possible direction of movement of thread guides during the formation of sev-' eral courses thereof,

Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary detail thereof,

Figure 3, a diagrammatic representation of instrumentalities and the sequence of their operation involved in carrying out one I form of our improved method and in knittin one end of a fabric employing threads 60 of t 'ree different kinds, the arrows indicating the direction of movement of thread guides in the formation of several courses thereof.

Serial No. 144,481.

Figure 4, a similar view in which two threads are employed, and

Figure 5, a diagrammatic representation of a modification in which the transition from a portion having certain characteristics to an adjoining portion having different characteristics is made in alternating courses.

Although the present invention may be effectively employed in the making of vari'ous knitted fabrics, we will describe it in connection with theknitting of a stocking of the full fashioned ty e such as is commonly made on a flat maciiine employing spring beard needles.

In Figures 1 and 2, we illustrate a stock ing construction havingv a reinforced heel splice 1 adjoining an instep portion 2. These port-ions are connected by a suture or transition ortion 3. Thus, as shown more clearly in Flgure 2, and indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the portion 1 comprises a lurality of threads 4 and 5 respectively which are interknitted in plating relation, said threads bein of different color, different material or different weight depending on the type of stocking to be produced. The ortion 2 is shown as comprising a sin le t read 6 although it is obvious that t is portion may comprise more than one thread. In the suture 3, Figs. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the thread 5 interknits with thread 6 and in the s lice 1 thread 5 interknits with the three 4.

Where the above described fabric is" knitted on a flat machine, the knitting method includes introducing thread guides carrying a plurality of threads feeding simultaneously to the required number of needles to form loops of the splice portion or zone 1. In Figure 3, these needles are shown as group 0. Assuming movement of the thread guides from right to left in the first or upper course, that one carrying thread 4 is dro ped at the suture and a guide carrying t read 6 is introduced. The guide carrying the remaining thread or threads of portion 1, in this case thread 5, continues past two or more needles, pref; erably two, forming group b where it is dropped,- thread 5 being thereby interknitted with thread 6. Thereafterthread 6 is carried alone on the 0 needles to form the 106 instep portion 2. As will be well understood where the article knitted is a. full fashioned stocking, the same thread changes are effected in inverse order at the end of said first course from right to left and again at the end of the next succeeding course in which the movement ofthe thread guides is from left to right. If desired, a course such as has been just described may alternate with a course in which' threads 4 and 5 interknit on the a needles, Figure 5, until thread 5 is dropped and then thread 4 interknits on the I) needles. with thread 6, after more than two courses so t at instead of alternating courses of different loop sequence characteristics, there will be alternating groups of courses, presenting a stepped or zigzag arrangement of loops or lock stitches.

Figure 4 illustrates diagrammatically the sequence of operations employed to produce a stocking in which the main thread 6 or that forming the inste portion is carried entirely across the sp ice and is therein plated with another thread as 7 commonl of cotton, where thread 6 is silk, or having, some other characteristic designed to reinforce the heel splice.

As shown in Figure 4, the modified method includes carrying the thread 7 through the a and b needle groups along with thread 6 in one course and in the next course carrying thread 7 only through the a group, these operations being repeated alternately over the required number of courses.

We claim as our invention:

1. The method of forming a knitted fabric having adjoinin portions of different characteristics, whic includes knitting in each course, a plurality of threads to form one Lama-rs portion and asingle thread distinct from said plurality of threads to form another portion, and knitting between said portions and continuously therewith a suture ortion comprising only one of said lura ity of threads interknitted with said single thread.

2. The method of forming -a knitted fabric having adjoining portions of different characteristics, which includes knitting a plurality of threads to form one portion and a single thread to form another portion, and knitting between said portions and continuousl therewith a suture portion comprising, in a ternating courses, one of said, pluralit of threads interknitted with said sing e thread and another of said plurality of threads interknitted with said single thread.

3. The method of forming a suture in a knitted fabric between adjoining portions thereof made up of different numbers of threads, which comprises in one course consecutively interknitting the larger number of threads, interknitting one part of said larger number of threads with the smaller number of threads and knitting said smaller number of threads, and then in another course consecutively interknitting said larger number of threads, interknitting another part of said larger number of threads, and knitting said smaller number of threads.

4. A full fashioned stocking having an instep portion, a reinforced ortion comprising at least two threads istinct from any thread in said instep portion and a suture between said reinforced portion and said instep portion and including alternating courses, one of which comprises one of the reinforced portion threads interknitted with an instep portion thread, and the other of which comprises another of said reinforced portion threads interknitted with said instep portion thread.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 22nd day of 0a., 1926.

FREDERICK BACON. HARRY D. TROOP. 

